Get Your Mind Set Right For The Year Ahead

Last week, I presented to one of my clients. I worked with this client regularly throughout last year, helping her create and deliver her strategy for the long-term growth and expansion of her business. The result has been a doubling of revenue generated, a doubling in the number of employees and a more than doubling in the value of the business to eight figures.

This fast growth, understandably, hasn’t been without its challenges and seeing my client and her management team at the start of this year, I saw the Christmas break being quickly forgotten, stress levels rising and people becoming more reactive.

I felt they needed to step back out of the business and so I presented an overview of the 2014 plan that we’d put together to remind them of where the focus will be and how this will help the business consolidate and stay on course. Looking at the wood and not just the trees and being reminded of their vision, I saw people relax a little and kind of reset.

I also presented what had been achieved the previous year. This time, I saw faces light up, I saw smiles, I heard whispers and I felt the room start to buzz. They knew they’d achieved a huge amount, but seeing the milestones that they’d hit through the year presented on one slide, really brought it home. I told them to give themselves a break and take a moment to think about and be proud of what they’ve achieved. The moment actually turned into about 10 minutes of talking as they remembered all that they had done and the positive changes in the organisation.

My client didn’t know what I was going to present but trusted me when I asked for 40 minutes of their time and said I thought it would be worth it. Afterwards, she thanked me for dragging her and her people out of the business and told me that she felt like everything had re-focused, that she was back in control and that she was excited again.

The renewed energy didn’t just come from showing the way forward; it also came from showing them what they’d achieved. If you haven’t done so, take some time out and look at what you achieved in 2013. If you’re part of a team, present your successes to them. If you don’t have any employees then still do it and give yourself a pat on the back. It really will help you face the challenges ahead.

I’ve done it, I’m proud of what I achieved in 2013 and, with my plan in place and my mind set right, like my client, I know that this year is going to be even better.